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For his entire life we have noticed that Caleb has no muscle tone or shows no resistance under his arms when you pick him up. His arms flopped straight up in the air when you picked him up and it felt like he would slip right through you.

When he should have supported some of his weight when you held him on your hip…he didn’t. It felt like you were carrying dead weight. He was considered a “floppy baby”.

Since the last 2 months Caleb has been asymptomatic and his labs were, for the first time ever, within normal range we decided to hold off on any testing and just keep our eye on him.

Shortly after beginning to crawl his arms started giving out on him. It took us awhile to figure out what was happening but once we did we realized how often it was happening and mentioned it to the doctor. During the same time we also noticed that when he would be on his back and you would lift him up he stopped supporting his head.

We had him checked out by a PT and there was concern. In short…babies aren’t supposed to gain skills and lose them. The doctor wanted him seen by neurology. One that specialized in muscle disease. So we made an appointment in Phoenix to see a neuromuscular doctor.

The Saturday before the appointment I went in to get Caleb out of his crib and for the first time ever…his arms resisted. His overall tone was different. He has supported his head every time since then. His arms have only given out once since then. We went back to the doc for his Well Baby Check and (before I said anything) the doc asked, “What happened?”

I said, “I know, right?!”

“He was a totally floppy baby! Now he’s not!” He said, “You are an enigma child! You’re making me look like a liar!”

Ha! Tell ME about it!!!!

But he said it would be wise to go to Phoenix even though we were all certain it wasn’t neurological (that would only progress not be intermittent). He thought it would be good to speak with such a specialist.

We did and I’m glad we did. He said in about 1 min. that he was certain that Caleb didn’t have a neuromuscular disease. In fact, he was super impressed with Caleb who was TOTALLY showing off for the doc and even implementing brand new skills!!

However, Caleb’s lab work was telling to this doctor and he said what we’ve heard before: Metabolic disorder. He knew more than we’ve heard before; was so confused as to why we were in his office and yet haven’t sat in the office of a metabolic doctor. He told us why the labs they have run in the past didn’t tell us what we needed to know. He told us why an upcoming procedure was unnecessary and he ordered appropriate labs that will hopefully hone in on the specific metabolic disorder he has (if any). He said he wouldn’t be surprised if the labs showed nothing since he is totally asymptomatic at this point but put in standing orders so that when/if Caleb becomes symptomatic again…we can have this test done immediately.

I will let you know what the new lab work says as soon as we hear…but based on Caleb alone…I’d say they’re going to look great!!

So do you want to actually see how you can clean better…truly better…with only water?

Wait…before I show you…Do you know what this means?! Cleaning with water only? It means no chemicals; your kids can clean with you, too; your baby can crawl around behind you….you don’t have to run out to the store or wait to clean something because you ran out of cleaner; you can leave an Envirocloth in each bathroom and wipe it down while you’re in there…cleaning your entire bath with one cloth and water…you can ELIMINATE “cleaning supplies” from your budget; it means more cabinet space because you can throw all those other cleaners away! And….aaaaaaand you’re cleaning BETTER than you were with all those chemicals…

Ahhhhh it felt gooooooood to do that! Bu-bye!

I know, I know…seeing is believing. I know. I felt the same way.

So…like any good friend would…I made a video for you!

You thought that was good?! You ain’t seen nothin’ yet…

Check this one out!

Sorry if you were hoping to see me again 🙂 I am out of my test kits but more are on the way and I would be so happy to demonstrate that for you “in real life” too! Just contact me!

Maybe there is a little more I should tell you about Norwex…

It has been known for thousands of years that silver can be an effective anti-microbial agent. Silver is capable of killing single celled organisms such as bacteria, yeasts, moulds and fungi. It is generally accepted these days that silver affects the enzyme that is responsible for the cells breathing, thereby suffocating the cells.

The cloths are guaranteed for TWO years but they will last 5-7 years. The microfiber will fall apart before the silver will ever wash out! You do not need to replace them for 5-7 years!!! Think of the money you just saved!

I put common household cleaners in a shopping cart on Amazon and my total was over $100.00 (I took out the shipping to get a realistic idea!) and this is just for the cleaners chemicals…that will last you a couple months….that you will HAVE to re-buy….over…and over….and over again.

As always…I welcome you to my website to buy but please feel free to contact me directly for specials and discounts! I want to make Norwex possible for everyone!

I have-and I do did it! I hate mosquitoes. Wait…is loathe a stronger word than hate? I loathe…looooooooooathe mosquitoes. I will get in a car accident fighting to kill one in a moving vehicle. Okay…I am getting off the subject…

I honestly have no idea if it actually works…but do you wonder why they make the claim? What the heck is in the dryer sheet that you toss your clothes around with that could repel bugs??

Yep…I Googled it 🙂

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and industry-generated Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) from the 1990s, the following is a list of chemicals in fabric softener products, most in untested combinations. Liquid fabric softeners additionally may contain formaldehyde.

Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer.

Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant.

Ethanol: On the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders.

Limonene: Known carcinogen.

A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage.

Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list.

Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders.

Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic.

Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders.

Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled.

GULP!

There haven’t been a ton of studies done on it…not that it matters…this list is enough for me! But in this study “Their analysis found more than 25 “volatile” air pollutants – including the carcinogens acetaldehyde and benzene.

Benzene causes leukemia and other blood cancers, according to the American Cancer Society. Acetaldehyde has been shown to cause nasal and throat cancer in animal studies.”

All you do is place both Dryer Balls in your dryer with laundry, and set dryer at desired heat. The unique design of the Dryer Balls lifts and separates laundry while softening fabrics. This reduces drying time, static cling and wrinkles, without chemicals. No need to use fabric softener or dryer sheets AKA carcinogens! Blech!

Okay…but back to mosquitoes…

P.S. If you do need an all natural mosquito repellent…doTERRA makes a great one (called Terra Shield)! Just sayin’ we have to kill those bastards!

I told you I was going to try out all these products and let you know the ones I would stand behind…Let’s just say I am going to take the Risky out of this Business (wink-wink)

Suffice it to say I am nuts about floors. We’ll leave it at that…if you know me…please refrain from leaving examples of my neurosis in the comment field of this post. I said refrain 🙂

I have good reason…

I am NOT saying that if you stopped in my house on a whim that you could eat off my floors but I am saying that when I clean them…I want to CLEAN them…I don’t want to be spreading dirt all over the place. I want them clean…{muffled…like white-glove-inspection-clean…muffled} you didn’t hear that did you?!?

I won’t go into everything I tried…the bottom line is…when I learned of Norwex…their AntiBac stuff…how it cleans…how it SANITIZES itself with the silver embedded in it…and that you. only. use. water. you. only. use. water. water! NO CHEMICALS…See my little love bugs hands all over my floor…the other 99% of the time they are in his mouth!

So when I learned that they make a wet mop pad out of the same stuff….I heard a choir singing hallelujah….I may have seen clouds separate in the sky…

I HAD to test it out for myself!

Use the dry superior mop head to get the dirt and debri…

WARNING: This will make you feel like a janitor-especially if you go in the S-shape pattern like the pro’s do…and it gets kinda fun…seriously. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…let me know when you’re ready to admit that you had fun…

Then you attach the wet mop head.

Now here again…proof I am going to be honest with you…I don’t like the Norwex pole for this job (however it is great to keep your dry mop head on it) You have to use water (and water only…Bu-Bye cleaning solutions, Mop N Glo, vinegar…whatevs….bye.) so why wouldn’t you use a spray mop with…um….water?!? Saves you a few trips back and forth to the sink to re-moisten the pad. I use the Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop (Home Dep., Amazon, Target) stick the Norwex mop pad on it and let the Janitor fun begin!

Here is my sock before…

Now picture Tom Cruise in Risky Business…

And my socks after. FYI: You have no idea how long it took me to find 2 matching, clean socks for this experiment. Laundry is NOT my strong suit!

Guess what? January’s hostess benefit is the floor system (plus a few other things to boot)! If you want to get the system for free-ninety-free…host a Norwex party in the month of January! I will do one more weekday party and I have one weekend date left on the 26th if you want it…let me know quick! Or feel free to order the system directly from my website.

In fact, I am a little skeptical of anyone who sells anything because I fear they are striking up a conversation with me only to hit me with a sales pitch half way through…

So-when I was invited to a Norwex party I was thankful I had a legit excuse not to attend. Yet, I had never heard of Norwex so what did I do?? I Googled it, of course!

I was intrigued. Impressed.

In fact, I sought out the host of the party after her party and placed an order.

Then…I did the (almost) unthinkable…I ASKED to host a party! I had to see all the products demo’d for myself! After I saw all the products demo’d for myself…

I did THE unthinkable….I became a consultant!!!!!! Yep-pigs are-a-flyin’!

But, my hope is, in being that brutally honest about my reservation…you know you can take my word for it. I would NOT sell something I couldn’t stand behind. I am NOT going to “sell” anything or try to “pitch” you. I wholeheartedly believe it sells itself. I love this stuff, use it in my own home and want to share it with you and make it easily available to you.

It was the microfiber cloths and silver that sold me…but at my party I learned about the laundry detergent. They claim it cleans better, and “green” with no fillers….apparently companies are allowed to add a ton of fillers to your box of laundry detergent (cement, saw dust, etc.) to save THEM money and fill your box up! Who knew?!? Anyway…not Norwex.

See the sludge at the bottom of a certain “free and clear” brand….heck, it doesn’t even look clear! I left this test here all day and all that stuff on the bottom never dissolved. Ick. Imagine what’s on our clothes!!

Here’s my homemade detergent….won’t be making this again…

Here’s Norwex. Ahhhh, much nicer…

Ya, ya, I have tried those “green” detergents before too! They SUCK! So I was like…I’m trying it for myself before I buy…so I did…

As I began my little experiment…Mike (hubby) asked, “What are you going to do if the “Brand Name” comes out better?”

I said, “I won’t stand behind the laundry detergent!”

“So you won’t sell Norwex anymore?”

“I will only recommend the products I can stand by! I will show people how it works in comparison and they can choose for themselves if it is more important for them to fight stains and clean better or be “green” and filler free”.

Carrots. Dang carrots! Just this morning I tossed this onesie in the garbage. It had already been washed and dried…and stained forever…or…Maybe…just maybe Norwex can save it…could it??

I also grabbed 3 white placemats and hit it with carrots, of course….ketchup and wine.

Since I couldn’t wash them all at the same time-and I wanted to play fair…I rinsed them all out in cold water first.

I put a dollop of the dishwashing liquid to pre-treat the stains on one of the placemats

and I simply rubbed it together with my thumbs (my daughter painted my nails…don’t judge ;))

I washed the store brand one first…to give it a head start 🙂 but as suspected…Norwex cleans better!

Plus…it is “green”, filler-free and unscented. It will not leave residue on your clothes which can be a cause for dry, itchy skin, psoriasis and eczema. See why I just had to tell you about this stuff???

You can buy a bag of the laundry detergent here! Since you will be using it over and over again…I will give you 20% off your future purchases!

The stain treatment is actually the dishwashing liquid ($6.99) NOT the laundry pre-wash ($27.99)! We found that actually worked the same or better! Seeeeeee I told you I was going to be honest with you….that alone just saved you over $20.00! Score! And I just learned that if you have an HE washing machine…you only use 1 teaspoon of the detergent! For this experiment though…I used full dosage of both brands.

If you’d like to talk about these products more or learn about others just shoot me a message and I can tell you what I’ve tried, tested and love! Thanks for letting me share this with you!!

And for those of you who are reading this blog thinking I have waaaaaay too much time on my hands and should get a job (uh-hem…LP :)) I. just. did. Thanks for your support 🙂